Joshua 7:5

Joshua 7:5 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And the men of Ai smote of them about thirty and six men: for they chased them from before the gate even unto Shebarim, and smote them in the going down: wherefore the hearts of the people melted, and became as water.
• English Standard Version (ESV)and the men of Ai killed about thirty-six of their men and chased them before the gate as far as Shebarim and struck them at the descent. And the hearts of the people melted and became as water.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And the men of Ai struck down about thirty-six men, for they chased them from before the gate as far as Shebarim, and struck them down on the descent; therefore the hearts of the people melted and became like water.
• New Living Translation (NLT)chased the Israelites from the town gate as far as the quarries, and they killed about thirty-six who were retreating down the slope. The Israelites were paralyzed with fear at this turn of events, and their courage melted away.

Context of Joshua 7:5

3When they returned to Joshua, they said, “Not all the army will have to go up against Ai. Send two or three thousand men to take it and do not weary the whole army, for only a few people live there.” 4So about three thousand went up; but they were routed by the men of Ai, who killed about thirty-six of them. They chased the Israelites from the city gate as far as the stone quarries and struck them down on the slopes. At this the hearts of the people melted in fear and became like water. 6Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell facedown to the ground before the ark of the Lord, remaining there till evening. The elders of Israel did the same, and sprinkled dust on their heads. 7And Joshua said, “Alas, Sovereign Lord, why did you ever bring this people across the Jordan to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us? If only we had been content to stay on the other side of the Jordan!

Joshua 7:5 word by word

וַיַּכּ֨וּ מֵהֶ֜ם אַנְשֵׁ֣י הָעַ֗י כִּשְׁלֹשִׁ֤ים וְשִׁשָּׁה֙ אִ֔ישׁ וַֽיִּרְדְּפ֞וּם לִפְנֵ֤י הַשַּׁ֙עַר֙ עַד־הַשְּׁבָרִ֔ים וַיַּכּ֖וּם בַּמּוֹרָ֑ד וַיִּמַּ֥ס לְבַב־הָעָ֖ם וַיְהִ֥י לְמָֽיִם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And the menאֱנוֹשׁ'ĕnôsh · humanH582
• of Aiעַי‛ay ‛ayâ' ‛ayâth · AiH5857
• smoteנָכָהnâkâh · to smiteH5221
• of them about thirtyשְׁלֹשִׁיםshelôshîym shelôshîym · thirtyH7970
• and sixשֵׁשׁshêsh shishshâh · sixH8337
• menאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
• for they chasedרָדַףrâdaph · to pursueH7291
• beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
• the gateשַׁ֫עַרsha‛ar · gateH8179
• unto Shebarimשְׁבָרִיםshebârîym · ShebarimH7671
• them in the going downמוֹרָדmôrâd · descentH4174
• wherefore the heartsלֵבָבlêbâb · heartH3824
• of the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• meltedמָסַסmâsas · to meltH4549
• and became as waterמַיmayim · waterH4325

Cross-references for Joshua 7:5

• Deuteronomy 1:44The Amorites who lived in those hills came out against you; they chased you like a swarm of bees and beat you down from Seir all the way to Hormah.
• Joshua 2:9and said to them, “I know that the Lord has given you this land and that a great fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you.
• Joshua 5:1Now when all the Amorite kings west of the Jordan and all the Canaanite kings along the coast heard how the Lord had dried up the Jordan before the Israelites until they had crossed over, their hearts melted in fear and they no longer had the courage to face the Israelites.
• Leviticus 26:36“ ‘As for those of you who are left, I will make their hearts so fearful in the lands of their enemies that the sound of a windblown leaf will put them to flight. They will run as though fleeing from the sword, and they will fall, even though no one is pursuing them.
• Psalms 22:14I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart has turned to wax; it has melted within me.
• Isaiah 13:7Because of this, all hands will go limp, every heart will melt with fear.

Commentaries on Joshua 7:5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5They chased them from before the gate even unto Shebarim - They seem to have presumed that the men of Ai would have immediately opened their gates to them, and therefore they marched up with confidence; but the enemy appearing, they were put to flight, their ranks utterly broken, and thirty-six of them killed. שברים Shebarim signifies breaches or broken places, and may here apply to the ranks of the Israelites, which were broken by the men of Ai; for the…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5Shebarim - Rather, perhaps, “the stone quarries.” The smallness of the slaughter among the Israelites indicates that they fled early, probably without real conflict in battle.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 5Ai’s defenders left through the town gate and attacked Israel’s troops directly (see 8:5). as far as the quarries: This is a place not known from other sources.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 4-54-5. they fled before the men of Ai--An unexpected resistance, and the loss of thirty-six of their number diffused a panic, which ended in an ignominious rout.Read the comment

Topics related to Joshua 7:5

• Cowardice
• Shebarim

In the dictionaries

• Ai
• Folly
• Hide
• Shebarim
• Tell
• Wedge
• Achan
• Covetousness
• Exodus, the Book of
• Guilt

Commentaries on Joshua 7

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings